I have a track day coming up in a couple of weeks and how better to prepare for it than with LFS? Given that I'll be driving an Elise, Impreza WRC, Porsche 996 and Ferrari 355, what should I concentrate on? The Elise and Impreza shouldn't be too much trouble and I'd guess the FZ50 is probably 355 material but what about the 996? Does anyone have one IRL? Which LFS car comes closest?

quite honestly i am gonna have to say that if your going to need to train for racing in life, i wouldnt use LFS, LFS may help with getting lines down and whatnot, but the actual feelings of the cars LFS will not be of any help at all, its not that its unreal, its just that you dont get the feeling in LFS as you would in life.. so the best suggestion is, is if you know the layout of the track is possibly build it somehow in the autocross in LFS and just try to get a line down, and then go out and if you have a practice session or whatever (if those are your cars or what) i suggest driving them around an empty parking lot to get the feeling and figure out the handleing of the car

well, in real life you get alot more input. You can learn proper race line and some techniques from games but real life has a few more variables than the ones ingame . focus on the race line and slowly up ur pace. once u get comfortable, dont be afraid to jump into corners.

Impreza WRC ?! what year? I've driven a 2004 wrx sti its an amazing car to drive. just dont let revs drop too much. power really kicks in around 4200rpm.

I won't be racing, just trying to go fast. The only rear wheel drive car I've ever driven is a Volvo 960 and I managed to lose the tail end on just about the first damp corner I came across. All I want is some practise in the right sort of car. Do real cars have such dreadful low speed understeer?

My cars? Chance would be a fine thing! I know nothing about them except the models and fact that the WRC is an ex-rally beast.

lol not at all.. thats where LFS is completely wrong, in any car nowadays (actually probably any car within the past 20 year) you can easily take a 90 degree turn in about 100 ft going around 20 mph.. without a problem.. unlike in LFS you can sit there with slicks going 5 mph and not even being able to turn around without the tires slipping

pushing a car past its limits of traction requires a bit more effort in real life.

That's quite a line-up

Assuming you're doing one of those 'experience' days, it's unlikely you'll be able to really explore the real limits of all the cars, unfortunately. They can't let anyone go nuts in their expensive machinery.

I have to agree with gabkicks in that LFS isn't really the best sim to learn the limits of a car because the grip issues leave it some way off reality in that regard. You'd be a lot better off doing a bit of karting I reckon, as it gives you a fundamental understanding of handling and reaction (and it's bloody good fun)

Which track is it btw? If you do want to do some preparation work, I'd recommend finding a sim with a decent representation of the track and learn the lines from that, if possible. They can be startingly accurate these days

It's Long Marston near Evesham. I know LFS won't turn me into an alien but it's probably the only RWD practise I'll be getting before then. I've done some Karting in the past but the nearest track is 80 miles away so it isn't really an option.

And I'm sure I'll bottle out of really hitting any performance limits ;-)

An Elise? Wooo 8)

Prepare to wet yourself

Quote from AMacdonaldLFS :

It's Long Marston near Evesham. I know LFS won't turn me into an alien but it's probably the only RWD practise I'll be getting before then. I've done some Karting in the past but the nearest track is 80 miles away so it isn't really an option.

And I'm sure I'll bottle out of really hitting any performance limits ;-)

Ah, with it being an old airfield they might be a bit more willing to let you open them up a bit. There's just about nothing to hit on an airfield (except cones if they use them). Even the grass is rock solid and flat because it has to support the weight of aircraft.

Don't worry about the RWD thing because it won't be much of an issue. As long as you have an understanding of how RWD can affect a car - which you will have already having played LFS - you'll be fine. I've no experience of a Ferrari or anything but I'd bet a fair sum that it's a lot easier to drive than the RWD cars in LFS.

Unless it's wet.

You'll love it. Let us know after you've done it how you got on

I'll post a full report with piccys if I end up looking heroic at all.

Woooo I've also got a Motorsport day at Keevil courtesy of a supplier next friday driving :

Noble M12 GTO3
911 GT Cup Race Car (my dream car !! )
Caterham Superlight
Focus Touring Car (2005 spec)

and plus a couple of mystery motors - i cant wait!!!

I'd agree that lfs wont be the best for learning any of those cars traits. You can only ever do that with the real mc coy and that would take more than a days ragging. If you can find the track layout in a game learn it by all means but otherwise leave it for the track.